Improvement in bale-ties



W.'s.-DAv1s.

BME-TIE. No.178,418. Patented June 6,1876.

@agay/227,@ I 20M N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

PATENIQDFFIGE.

WATERS S. DAVIS, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALE-TlEs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,418, dated June 6, 1876; application filed May 4,` 1876.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that L'WATERS S. DAVIS, of the city and county of Galveston, in the State Texas, have invented a new and useful Imstances, in which a divided metallic band or hoop encirling the package or bale is used, and the ends whereof are joined by a hook at one end of said band, arranged to interlock with any one of a series of mortises in the other end of the band, for the purpose of binding or holding the package together. Various hook and mortise fastenings have been devised for this purpose, including not only dilerent constructions of the hook, but also of the mortise in relation with the latter. Some of these differences, although apparently trilling in themselves, have greatly varied as regards their successfulapplication, the principal object being to produce a bale-tie which combined simplicity with efficiency, both as regards its use in fastening or unfastening, in accommodating itself' to different-sized packages or different compressions and elasticities of the packed material, and to dierent shocks or pressures liable to accidentally detach or open the, fastenings. Sonie of these hooks have been simple or single pronged, and others double pronged, and in order to give security have not only required the mortises, with which they engage, to be of a less length than the hook, but have involved, in some cases, three dilferent motions to engage and v dlsengage them, and the fastening of the tie has been attended with considerable diiculty. Even when a single hook is used, constructed as described in Letters Patent No. 173,597, issued to me February l5, 1876, it is not always convenient to cant the hook, so as to eliect its engagement with a mortise of less length than the hook on its face.

This invention consists in a peculiar construction of the hook, which is a single one, whereby it does not necessarily require to be canted to effect its engagement or disengagement, nor'yet any multiplicity of motions for' such purpose, but a single motion suffices,

and the mortises may even be of the saine or.

and the tie may be rapidly fastened and un fastened. v

Figure l is a longitudinal edge view, in partial section, of the engaging ends of a bale-tie, with my improvedf'astenir1g applied, and as securing the ends of the band together. Fig. 2 is an outside face view of like parts, under similar conditions; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal edge view, in partial section, of the same, showing the entry or detachment of the hook end of the band inl relation with the mortise end thereof.

A is the one end of a metallic baleband, having attached to it the hook B, and A is the other end of said band, having arranged in or along it a series of mortises, b, with either of which the hook B is designed to engage.

Said mortises b, which it is preferred to make of an oblong form, may be arranged at` any desired distances apart.

The hook B may be of malleable cast-iron or other metal, and have its shank o flattened out at its back end to form an enlarged head ordisk, d, for the purpose of stienin g the band and of providin'g for the attachment of the hook to the latter by a rivet, c. The forward or engaging portion `of the hook B is of but little less width than either mortise b, through whichit fits. The face or under surface g of such portion may be of the same or even less length than that of either mortise b, or, in other words, than the dimensions of the mortises in direction ofthe length of the band, and the bent end or root h of the nose of the hook at the back end of the face g is made to project considerably below the opposite or' noise (i) end of said face, so that if the face g be straight or flat it will be out of parallel relation with the band, and incline downward in a backward direction from the forward end of the nose 'i to its back or root end h, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 3.

By this construction of the hook there is no necessity to cantit or to give it first a forward, then a downward, and afterward a back, v

motion to engage it with the mortise, but a single back motion suffices, the hook having previously dropped to its place within or through the mortise. A similar single reverse movement serves todisengage the hook when required.

In this operation of the hook the downwardl y-projeetin g root end h of the hook at the back end ofthe face g performs three importent functions-thus it acts as a guide for the entry, ofthe hook within the mortise; also, more or less as a safeguard against any accidental disengagement of the hook by the sliding of the two ends of the band over the other; and as a guide for the hook at the back end of the mortise when purposely disengaging the two ends of the band.

I claim- The hook B, provided with a flattened shank, C, forming the enlarged head d, the said hook being constructed at the forward end with the front bent end or'root h, and rearwardly-projeeting nose i, arranged at the back end of the face g ofthe hook for operation in connection with the mortises b inthe bale-band, substantially as described.

WATERS S. DAVIS.

Witnessesz GEO. SEALY, W. A. MEGUIRE. 

